


Princesses

by Zoi no miko (zoi_no_miko)



Series: Inception - Cobb/Saito [6]
Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Domestic, Dress Up, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-17
Updated: 2011-01-17
Packaged: 2017-10-14 20:14:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/153028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zoi_no_miko/pseuds/Zoi%20no%20miko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Phillipa goes exploring in rooms she shouldn't be in. Saito catches her. Domestic fluff ensues.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Princesses

**Author's Note:**

> for LJ's inception_kink round 3: Saito dotes on Cobb's kids. (Does he not have any of his own? Are they all grown but no grandkids?) FLUFF.

Phillipa is nine when she finally goes into the room in Papa Saito's house, into the door at the end of the hall. They've been shown almost everything in this beautiful house - it's really the top two floors of a tall apartment building in Shinjuku - shown the rooftop deck and garden and pool, and they each have their own rooms to stay in when they come to stay with Papa Saito.

She's always liked Papa Saito, who came home with Daddy not long after Daddy finally returned from his business trip outside of America. Papa Saito is strong and warm and smells good, and he's always taken the time to tell them stories and bring them strange toys from all over the world, little things that everyone wonders over when she takes them to school for show and tell. Papa Saito spends a lot of time with them and he isn't like Daddy's other friends, which is a little strange to Phillipa at first because he's so different from Mommy. She's heard some of the older boys at school laugh about fags and homos and queers and it makes her feel uncomfortable, like the boy on the playground who called Izumi a dirty chink and made her cry. Phillipa still doesn't know what that means. All she knows is that even though Daddy told her off for punching that boy in the nose and making him bleed, he took her and Izumi for ice cream afterward.

She loves it when they get to spend time with Papa Saito, when they go on trips or to Disneyland or to stay at Papa Saito's house in Japan. They all go out together to all the parks and fun stores in Tokyo, and Papa Saito buys them toys and sweet crepes filled with strawberries and chocolate and whipped cream. But every time they stay at Papa Saito's house Phillipa can't help but wonder what's inside that room, the only room she hasn't seen.

Phillipa tried to ask Daddy once, but he just shook his head. "Some places need to stay private, Phillipa. Don't go in there."

Of course, that didn't help at all.

Phillipa wakes up early one morning, laying in bed for what seems like hours trying to go back to sleep. Finally she gets out of bed and puts on her slippers and housecoat, padding through the house to see if anyone else is awake. She can hear James snoring inside his room, and she's about to go check on Daddy when she sees the door at the end of the hall, the morning sun shining under the door and around the frame.

One peek won't hurt, will it?

She tiptoes down the hall and turns the door handle slowly, as if making any noise will bring Daddy rushing to her side to scold her. She intends just to look inside, just to look and then close the door and pretend she never did it, but when she opens the door all she can do is marvel. She steps into what must be the most beautiful bedroom in the world, looking over everything with wide eyes. The bed is large, the comforter white and trimmed with lace with tiny pink roses and green leaves embroidered on it. There's matching pillows sitting against the headboard, edged with frills and lace, and a pink teddy bear in a frilly white dress sits in between them like the bed belongs entirely to him. The bedframe is gold, with swirling arching bars and gold poles that hold up the canopy, a frilly white lace that matches the bedcurtains that are tied back with big white satin bows.

Phillipa's own room here is pretty, but not in the same way - her room is pink and full of hello kitty and she loves it, but it's nothing compared to this room.

The vanity is white and gold too, and old fashioned looking, with white lace trimmed doilies on top that hold a beautiful gold comb, brush and mirror. There's a matching gold jewelry box and a stand that looks like a miniature dress store maniquin wearing an old fashioned pink dress, the hooks holding delicate silver and gold chains and pink beads and multi-strand necklaces with bows and flowers. Around the room on shelves sit more stuffed toys in frilly clothes, a beautiful china tea set, old fashioned looking books and styrofoam heads with wigs and hats on them - beautiful, curly wigs in rose pink and blonde and snow white and raven black.

The closet door is open, and its filled with the most amazing dresses in the world - even more beautiful than the princesses at Disneyland. They're too beautiful to touch, but she can't stop staring, imagining what it would feel like to attend a ball in one of these breathtaking dresses.

There are pictures on the white desk along with some school books, pictures of Papa Saito and the most beautiful girl Phillipa has ever seen. She steps closer and bends over to take a look, sounding out the characters etched on one of the frames. Mi-me... no, that's not right. Mi-yu-ko.

"Do you like the room?"

Phillipa jumps at the sound of Papa Saito's voice and turns, and heart pounding and a big lump forming in her throat - being told off by Daddy is one thing, but Papa Saito is always so nice - "I'm sorry, Papa Saito...."

He smiles, though, crouching down on the rug next to her. He's wearing his dark blue robe, and he must have just woken up. "It's all right, Phillipa, I am not angry. Do you like the room?"

Phillipa nods, and manages to swallow away the lump. "Does a princess live here?"

"Once. But not for a long time," Papa Saito replies, still smiling, though he seems a little sad. "She had to go away."

Phillipa knows what that means. "Like Mommy."

"Yes." He's looking at the picture on the desk, the same way Daddy looks at their old family photos.

Phillipa takes his hand. "It's ok. I'm sure Mommy is taking care of her. Mommy is very good at holding tea parties."

Papa Saito looks surprised, then he laughs softly, stroking a hand over her hair. "I'm sure she is."

Phillipa feels better now, and moves to cuddle against his side. "Did she dress like a princess every day? Didn't she have to wear grown up clothes?"

Papa Saito keeps stroking her hair, over and over, thinking. "In Japan everyone has to wear a uniform to go to school, so after school is time to dress up and be beautiful."

"Can I dress like a princess when I grow up?"

He smiles at her. "Perhaps if you are a good girl. Would you like to try on a princess dress now?"

Phillipa can't believe that he's offering, and she nods, her eyes wide. Papa Saito chuckles and stands, moving to the closet and sorting through the dresses one by one. When he stops at a pink one Phillipa gasps, thinking that it's like something out of a fairy tale. It's ruffled and frilly with bows at the waist and at the neck, and all around the bottom are pictures of carousels and rainbows and castles made out of ice cream cones. She realizes that it's much too big for her as Papa Saito tugs it on over her night gown, but he tightens up the laces at the back and ties the tie nice and snug, and when she twirls around the skirt poofs out around her like she's a ballerina.

"One more thing," Papa Saito says, pulling out the chair at the vanity and sitting down. He motions Phillipa over, and she turns around to let him run that beautiful brush through her hair, careful strokes over and over. Then he pulls a little bit of hair from each side back and clips it in place, opening a drawer to pull out a beautiful lacy pink bow that he clips in the back of her hair. "There. Now you are the most beautiful princess in the whole world."

"Will I be as pretty as Miyuko-san when I grow up?"

It's a moment before Papa Saito answers her, but he smiles. "I'm sure you will be. Now, shall we go show your father how beautiful you are?"

Phillipa nods and takes his hand, leading him from the room.

~~~~


End file.
